I watched roughly 14,400 minutes of new cinema in 2011. Picking and ranking 2-hour chunks above one another is an absolutely monumental, draining, and in some ways worthless task for a year that many would argue was lackluster. Hell, I would have — but then when making a shortlist of truly great 2011 films worthy of recognition, I jotted down thirty titles, no problem, no sweat. I considered going the Rolling Stone route and doing ten ranked mainstream films and ten ranked indies/foreigns — but even that proved too difficult. What I took away from this year is that the simplest and oldest of ideas, given the right approach and passion, can achieve the highest of highs. So without further ado, my 2,011-word-breakdown on what got me jazzed in 2011.

20. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s “Crazy, Stupid, Love”.

This one seemed to transcend all genders and tastes to become the romantic comedy event of the year. Damn straight. “Crazy, Stupid, Love”, while falling prey to many tropes of its genre, goes to show just how far organic relationships and characters can elevate material. It’s a funny, touching, and surprisingly wise look at love in all its stages. Insert comment about Ryan Gosling’s shirtless scene here.

19. Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse”.

Every ounce as sappy and corny as its many detractors will tell you. That’s what made it click for me. “War Horse” features some of Spielberg’s most well-directed sequences in a decade, and wisely focuses not on the eponymous horse, but his indelible impact on the humans around him. A gorgeously shot, lovingly made film that, if made 60 years ago, would probably be hailed as a classic.

18. Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo”.

It hurts my soul that this isn’t higher. Few films hit harder than “Hugo” did, or pulled out as many technical stops. Scorsese manages to combine a redemption story, a dreamlike fantasy, a film-preservationist-manifesto and a children’s film into one very tasty package, while also making the most cogent case yet for the existence of 3D.

17. Jason Reitman’s “Young Adult”.

From the “Juno” team, this is a comedy whose humor is by and directed towards very, very misguided characters, giving every laugh a really subtle but lasting burn. It’s acerbic in tone but thoughtful in nature, with some very fine performances by Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt.

16. Sean Durkin’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene”.

Girl is integrated into cult. Girl eventually leaves cult physically, yet not mentally. This simple, but terrifying premise made for some of the subtler filmmaking this year — but haunting filmmaking, nonetheless. The ending of this film will either soothe or shake you, and the way the film makes a cogent thematic argument for either interpretation makes it an uncannily unsettling work.

15. Pedro Almodovar’s “The Skin I Live In”.

A lot of films’ twists leave you surprised to some degree — but how often do they make you re-evaluate what you just saw on every level, be it thematic, emotional, motivational, and yes, sexual. “The Skin I Live In” does that, using ’50s-esque pulp and modern paranoia to craft something totally undefinable. And brilliant.

14. Jason Eisener’s “Hobo With A Shotgun”.

You think the joke’s on you because this made my list? Nope. Joke’s on you for not seeing this endlessly inventive, blood-soaked grindhouse tribute. Available on Netflix Instant, this 86-minute monster is perfect viewing for the whole family, especially little kids who may derive enjoyment from watching people their age set on fire.

13. Gore Verbinski’s “Rango”.

Before you ask, that last sentence was a joke. What American families need to be watching is “Rango”, a Johnny Depp-starring film among the funkiest and most original genre-hybrids of the year. It’s also absolutely hilarious, filled with excellent action, and unlike many on this list, made hundreds of millions of dollars. Who loses here? No one.

12. Michel Hazanivicus’ “The Artist”.

By reaching to devices of the past, “The Artist” created an almost disgustingly charming, thoroughly entertaining dramedy. Its black-and-white, silent format has brought an entire filmmaking era back into public consciousness, an absolute miracle if you ask me. Oh, and that damn dog…

11. Jonathon Levine’s “50/50″.

Writer Will Reiser, drawing from his own experiences as a young man getting cancer, managed to create something with the raunchy charm of “Superbad” with the emotional weight of, well, “Terms of Endearment”. “50/50″ owned me from the first frame, and though you may be laughing too hard to notice, some of the year’s most subtle, effective character-development is to be found here. Good movie. Great movie.

10. Kim Ji-Woon’s “I Saw The Devil”.

“I Saw The Devil” is the revenge movie to beat all revenge movies, and I mean this in both how much it breaks your heart and how freakin’ bloody it gets. There is nothing that these men will not do in this movie. But the way the film simultaneously provides outlandishly well-done action and, by its conclsuion, condemns what it’s done to these people’s souls, is as fascinating as it is contradictory. Good looks, South Korea!

9. Mike Mills’ “Beginners”.

An elderly man, coping with the death of his wife of 40 years and a cancer diagnosis, comes out as gay. His son struggles to cope and finds solace in his dog, who communicates with him via subtitles. There’s about a million different ways that premise could have derailed and become typical “indie” fare — but it didn’t. Miraculously, it’s one of the most moving, heartfelt movies of the year, with the nostalgic 1950s’ score making the story of a man’s exit from this world subtly devastating.

8. Brad Bird’s “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”.

After how long I’ve been yearning for a perfect action film, to finally receive it is the greatest of all pleasures. “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” has action that gets at the heart of what the genre, and popcorn entertainment at large, is really all about. And after due consideration and three viewings (IMAX is a must), the 30-minute Dubai segment is genuinely one of the greatest action sequences ever created. The fact that this film finally ended the ridiculous Tom Cruise backlash nets bonus points.

7. Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants”.

If I were to tell you my own Hawaiian heritage didn’t make me hugely biased to this, I’d be lying. But the majority of America seems to be with me on this one – George Clooney turned in some of his best work as a Honolulu man trying, by any means necessary, to protect his newly-inherited responsibilities to his daughters, in the wake of a jet-skiing accident leaving his wife in a coma. Such a moving, hopeful work. If Oscar taps this one’s shoulder, I would not be surprised or displeased in any way.

6. Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation”.

Unless you live in New York, Los Angeles, or have access to Academy voters’ screener DVDs (my secret, now not-so-secret weapon), you have not seen or probably heard of “A Separation”. And now you have. It’s an Iranian film pulsing with vitality and emotion, about a couple in the midst of a divorce and the effects it has on the people around them — their daughter, her teacher, and a couple who accuses the husband of something truly horrible. “A Separation” is a film whose greatness comes by way of revelations that cannot be spoiled — but, like the greatest of thrillers, language-barrier or no, this film gripped me totally and never dared to let me go.

5. Lynne Ramsay’s “We Need To Talk About Kevin”.

If “Midnight in Paris” is a light, frothy dream, “We Need To Talk About Kevin” is a garish, bloody nightmare. Some of the most effective horror filmmaking in decades is on display here, with two utterly killer performances as a doomed mother-and-son duo. “Kevin” is a prime example of both the lows of humanity and the highs of filmmaking.

4. Joe Wright’s “Hanna”.

The story of a teenaged assassin and her destructive impact on the people around her as she traverses the globe towards an unknown mission. ”Hanna” begins and closes with the title character taking a life. The first time I was in a state of shock. The second time I was in a state of utter awe, a state into which only the best motion pictures can exalt me. “Hanna” is some of the most energetic, propulsive mainstream filmmaking in a decade, with every element coming together totally and tightly.

3. Lars von Trier’s ”Melancholia”, tied with Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life”.

You probably think my use of tie is cheap and lazy. You’re totally right. But see this hypnotic duo and tell me you could choose one over the other. Lars von Trier and Terrence Malick have crafted lush, gorgeous tone poems that make 2011′s strongest case for film as a pure sensory art form. My reactions to these films were totally indescribable, characterized only by the joy I feel when I stumble upon projects very near and dear to their maker’s hearts. The fact that these films are about both the end and the creation of the world ties it together nicely.

2. Woody Allen’s ”Midnight in Paris”.

Woody Allen takes absolutely no risks with “Midnight in Paris”, exploring very few themes and using very few characters he hasn’t before. All the better for it. When a Woody Allen film clicks together, as seems to be the case less and less these days, there’s absolutely nothing like it. “Midnight in Paris” is a film reflecting on love and memory’s potential to deceive us, but as time has gone on this year my adoration for this has only gotten stronger. It’s an utterly charming, wonderfully romantic tribute to one of the world’s great cities.

1. Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive”.

I’ll keep this final entry short and sweet. ”Drive”. The film of the year, the film of my dreams. I wasn’t at all sure what to make of it on my first go-around. So then I went for seconds, with thirds, fourths, and fifths not far behind. The premise is simple: Ryan Gosling drives getaway cars for criminals, gets romantically involved with a neighbor, and things crash and burn for everyone involved, bloodily. But the approach taken to “Drive” is everything, making a film whose every moment puts a spell on me — one unlike anything else this year, last year, any year. This is as tense, mysterious, satisfying, sensual, shocking, good, and just plain cool as movies can get.

Thank you to the films and the readers that made 2011 unforgettable. $10 to the first person who provides a count of the adjectives in this column. Cheers.

-RM

Note: I didn’t yet see “Shame” or “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”, two films that have dominated this year’s cultural discussion. Ten further films that barely missed the cut on this list, and broke my heart in doing so: Takashi Miike’s unbelievably epic samurai romp “13 Assassins”, J.J. Abrams’ utterly joyful Spielberg tribute “Super 8″, Spielberg himself with the animated entry “Adventures of Tintin”, George Clooney’s “Ides of March” whose killer ensemble brought a haunting political and moral dilemma to life, the funniest film of the year “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”, Tomas Alfredson’s paranoia-infused espionage drama “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, Steven Soderbergh’s virus-documenting thriller “Contagion”, 2011-pop culture’s biggest event in the final “Harry Potter” film, one of the great contemporary youth romances “Submarine” and finally, Kevin Smith’s “Red State”, which incurred the hatred of most critics but was truly the biggest leap ahead for any filmmaker all year. 

Note post-other note: The worst film of the year was “Battle Los Angeles”. Everything these above films are not, totally incompetent “action cinema”, and not even filmed in Los Angeles…Not far behind is the stoner medieval-comedy disaster “Your Highness”. The pandering racism of “The Help” was every ounce as disgusting as the film’s complete success and probable Oscar wins. “The Hangover: Part II” was Hollywood at its copy-and-paste worst. “The Rite” was utterly rote. “Breaking Dawn: Part I” fully validates the complaints of every die-hard “Twilight” hater, which it’s worth noting, until I saw it, I was not. And I fully apologize to the theater janitors who swept up the popcorn I threw while watching “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked”.

As I begin prepping all my end-of-2011 stuff, I can’t help but gloss over the release schedule for next year and get really excited. What 2011 has lacked in blockbuster fare 2012 looks to equally match, with some really strong indie fare scattered throughout the year. Without further ado, the 10 movies of next year that are highest on my radar.

10: The Cabin in the Woods (April 13)

“Cabin in the Woods” has faced multiple release-date shifts (it finished filming about three years ago), but the word-of-mouth on this 3D horror project from “Cloverfield” screenwriter Drew Godard has only been ecstatic. I’m going out of my way to avoid all trailers and posters for this flick, as the last 30 minutes of this film are reputed to be on a whole other level of insanity.

9: Lincoln (undecided winter date)

Steven Spielberg’s third film in 12 months, “Lincoln” focuses on the last couple years of the life of our country’s greatest president, enlisting perhaps the only actor massive enough to handle such a role — Daniel Day-Lewis. Based off of Doris Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals”, a wonderful historical account gripping enough for ME to get into, expect “Lincoln” to be the talk of the Oscar season next year.

8: Les Miserables (December 7)

Tom Hooper took the Oscar this year for his work on “The King’s Speech”. “Speech” to me was massively overrated, but it was also unmistakably the work of an artist beginning to develop his own voice and passion. His adaptation of the great musical “Les Miserables”, with Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman among the leads, is looking very strong.

7: G.I. Joe: Retaliation (June 29)

Don’t ask why this is here. I don’t know myself. The sequel to a 2009 film I cited among the worst of that year, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” looks to retain all the high-octane action of that first entry, but with a sharper sense of direction and goofier sense of fun. Chalk that up to the “Zombieland” writers taking control of the franchise. When a movie trailer has samurai running on a cliff-side with a rope in one hand and a sword in the other, you could say I’m hooked. Plus, Bruce Willis! (!!!!!!!)

6: Skyfall (November 9)

The third go-around with Daniel Craig as James Bond has a lot riding on it. The backing studio’s financial troubles and large-scale disappointment in the last film “Quantum of Solace” mean that Craig and co. really have to step up their game to create something distinctive in the scope of things. But with a cast including superb actors like Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes and a script reportedly equaling 2006′s amazing “Casino Royale”, I’m feeling confident that “Skyfall” will be a Bond to remember.

5. Prometheus (June 8)

Ridley Scott, though his recent output has been mixed, can put together a damn good science-fiction film. “Alien” and “Blade Runner” are among the defining classics of the genre, and “Prometheus” is a thematic and spiritual prequel to the original “Alien”. Set towards the end of the 21st century, it details humanity’s first encounter with those flesh-eating, acid-bleeding little buggers. The creepy, evocative posters suggest the results won’t be pretty, but the talented cast, including Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron, will make the blood-bath one a compassionate one.

4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 14)

An immaculate blending of spectacle, faith, character and scope, when all is said and done “Lord of the Rings” is easily one of my favorite films. Much of the original cast, the director Peter Jackson, and the same storytelling magic seems to have been brought to this two-part adaptation of “Rings”‘ prequel, the second part of which drops in 2013. This could be the event of the year.

3. Gravity (November 21)

“Children of Men” auteur Alfonso Cuaron has promised a film unlike anything we’ve ever seen before with “Gravity”. A film reportedly told in only a handful of shots, it’s the story of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney frantically trying to stay alive after their space station explodes. I expect it to take full advantage of its IMAX 3D format, in both technological and storytelling capacities.

2. Django Unchained (December 25)

Let me break this down for you. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sacha Baron Cohen, RZA, and reportedly even Lady GaGa in a Civil War-era slavery revenge epic from Quentin Tarantino himself. Having read the script myself, I promise you “Django Unchained”, which releases Christmas Day, will probably be better than most presents you’d receive that day.

1. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20)

You know you’re looking forward to a film where watching a trailer you get chills in your spine, tingles in your feet, and a massive freaking grin on your face. “The Dark Knight Rises” looks to conclude Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga in absolutely massive fashion, and considering he’s only been developing as a filmmaker (last year’s “Inception” in particular), this movie is going to rock your world. Now, excuse me while I watch this trailer for the 23rd time.

The Michaels Canon is a new column in which I construct something of a personal film canon. Although recognized, widespread classics will be given their due, I hope to shed some light on perhaps quirkier, more obscure, but equally strong films. 

If I were to picture traditional cinematic conventions as a wall, I’d envision director Robert Altman as a vivacious, rebellious youth throwing firecrackers at that wall. In his 35-year career (he worked up until his death in 2006), he was many things — revolutionary, obnoxious, profound, and on more than a few cases, failure.

But it’s the burning passion that he clearly holds for characters, and unique eye for the ways in which they play off one another, that separates him from other directors.

The pinnacle of his career, and I argue, one of the pinnacles of American cinema, is the 1975 film “Nashville”. Set in the titular city, the 160-minute film is set over the course of five days. What’s the story, you ask? Well, there isn’t a story. And at the same time, there is one, 24 different ones in fact.

See, it follows 24 different individuals, ranging from an exhausted country singer, to a coping widower, to a sleazy campaign-organizer, to Elliot Gould and Julie Christie, playing themselves. My personal favorite is a young, pre-”Big Chill” Jeff Goldblum as a perpetually high biker who is in almost every frame of the film, yet never utters a word.

What ties these people together is that they all have a role to play in a political rally-cum-concert, which serves as the film’s conclusion. Yet another unique thing to “Nashville”s credit — it has about an hour of wholly original (and quite good, if I do say so) country music written and performed by the actors.

Throughout “Nashville”, you grow to adore or, at the very least, take interest in, all 24 of these people. And why shouldn’t you? They’re funny, recognizable guys, brought to life by an outstanding ensemble cast. None are trying to one-up the other or have their “grand moment”. They simply, exist, some with more attention paid to them than others. And given that most of the dialogue is improvised, you feel the actors literally giving themselves into their parts.

I’ve heard “Nashville” praised as a film that fills one with hope for humanity, for society, and our eventual ability to all co-exist. I respectfully disagree. “Nashville” is a film that wants to capture the essential human experience, for all of its love and all of its heartbreak, all of its quirkiness and all of its rigidity. And just as life leaves one a little confused and a little hurt, “Nashville” leaves one confused, hurt, even angry.

Consider the final scene. One of the more beloved characters is gunned down on-stage, in a random, unprovoked act of violence. It’s shocking, unpredictable, and seemingly pointless. But then a meek, fragile woman takes her place on-stage. She’s been waiting all her life, for her moment to prove her talent to everyone. This is it. She, growing in confidence and stature, delivers a rousing rendition of “It Don’t Worry Me”. The crowd is united, the torch is passed, life goes on.

2011 in film, thus far, has been a year in which expectations have been defied and then spat on. Approaching the 2011 spring and summer season, five films stand out from most others in terms of either prestige or potential fun factor: “Battle: Los Angeles”, “Green Lantern”, “Cowboys and Aliens”, “Your Highness”, and “Sucker Punch”. I then watched as all five of those films colossally misfired, having only faint memories of anticipating what could have been to counter the disappointment.

But then, look at some of the best films of the year: Who would have thought a Nickelodeon-produced animated film about a chameleon would turn out to be one of the ballsiest, trippiest, and ultimately coolest films in years? No one did, which is what gave “Rango” an under-dog status that better carry it to Best Animated Film, come Oscar season.

Even though it delivered on perhaps the lowest possible intellectual level, “Fast Five” claimed an odd feat — the most number of installments it took for a franchise to actually become good. Now that all of the big tent-poles of the summer have come and gone, I find that the pinnacle of no-brains, fast-paced summer spectacle was in fact at the very beginning — “Fast Five” opened the season on April 29.

Though I never reviewed it, major props to Korean director Kim Ji-Woon’s revenge epic “I Saw the Devil”. In it, a detective’s wife is brutally murdered and the killer quickly traced. But rather than kill him, the detective opts to slowly draw out his death through a series of catch-and-release encounters. In the process, he loses himself and in some ways, descends lower than the killer himself. Near-unbearable to watch at points, but not because of the gore or blood, a la “Saw” or some other torture porn. No, because Ji-Woon’s direction and presentation of his characters makes you feel every punch, every bullet. This thing is readily available on Netflix Instant, as is the hysterical exploitation-film-tribute “Hobo With A Shotgun”. And yes, it’s 86 minutes of exactly what the title suggest.

Next time you spot an 8:45 showing of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”, be sure to waltz in right around 10: Numbing and cloying as the first hour may be, the last 75 minutes of the presumably final installment are a wonder to behold. It’s rare to see as masterfully — and at a quarter-billion budget, expensively — choreographed chaos as this movie. May Chicago rest in peace.

Frequenters of the State Theater were sure to have caught “Beginners”, a dramedy in which Ewan McGregor’s father, after decades of marriage to his now-deceased mother, comes out as gay. “Beginners”, with its laid-back, jazzy score, poignant love story, and talking dog, was a melancholy reflection on the pain of memory and need for companionship. I’m not kidding about the dog, by the way.

Woody Allen’s fantasy-comedy “Midnight in Paris” somehow reeled me in and back again four times. It’s positively wondrous, a 100-minute salute to the golden age of the City of Light. It stars Owen Wilson in a career-saving performance as a writer who, through an odd twist of fate, gets to spend drunken nights amongst his literary idols. With some of Allen’s sharpest dialogue ever, this movie’s a delightful little treat that’s guaranteed a spot amongst my favorites by year’s end.

One wonders if there’s really much point in me telling you that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” is a perfect conclusion to one of the all-time great pop culture phenomena. But in case you were unaware then well, there you are.

Though it swept Cannes, “Tree of Life” was received somewhat indifferently state-side. Damn shame, as it’s some of the most emotionally powerful 140 minutes I’ve seen on celluloid in quite some years. Terrence Malick’s opus juxtaposing 1950′s Americana with the creation & origin of life sports a 20-minute sequence I consider one of the best in cinema, an interlude in which the cosmos swirl, forces converge and our planet is born. Totally unforgettable.

But the best film 2011 has yet offered us, one that has stuck through my mind for months and literally haunted my dreams – “Hanna”. Guided by Saorise Ronan’s assured, agile performance as a teenage assassin, director Joe Wright strikes an odd hybrid between fairy tale, spy thriller, and Shakespearean family drama. “Hanna”, more than any film of 2011 thus far, is brimming with ideas, energy, and pure mastery of form.

That’s all for now. I’ll offer a more conclusive list once the year is over with, as always.

-RM

2010. What a year!

For better or for worse, there’s been a dizzying array of movies this year, be them good, bad, or otherwise. Although the majority of the fare was ‘meh’ or barely above, the gems this year surpass most in recent memory. So without further ado, here’s my picks for the best ten of the year. You know. The good stuff.

#10: ENTER THE VOID (Gaspar Noe)
I admit, I liked some movies this year more than this one, that didn’t make the cut. But I didn’t admire them as much as I did “Enter the Void”. What other movie dared take the risks that this one did? The whole movie is told either from the first-person perspective of a drug-dealer, or, when he’s shot dead, his spirit hovering above the streets of Tokyo. Suffice to say, this movie is absolutely insane. The director Gaspar Noe does things here that I literally haven’t ever seen before in a movie, ever. It’s daring, adventurous, and even a little exhausting. It’s also genius.

#9: THE FIGHTER (David O. Russell)
Underdog athlete overcomes obstacles to win glory and fame. It’s been told before, maybe even better. But none as emotionally involving and compelling as the stuff on display in “The Fighter”. Everyone, yes, EVERYONE in this film does the finest work of their career, be it Amy Adams’ performance as a bartender, Mark Wahlberg’s transformation into a professional boxer, or Christian Bale’s devastating work as Wahlberg’s crack addict of a brother. All these performances bring the fairly average material up to the level of greatness, and director David Russell injects it with his trademark energy and heart. All in all, “The Fighter” is a knockout. (Pun intended. Hee-hee.)

#8: MOTHER (Bong-Joon Ho)
One of the most original filmmakers around, the South Korean native Bong-Joon Ho does yet another crafty spin on genre in “Mother”, flipping the murder mystery on its ear this time around. Kim Hye-ja plays a woman who will do whatever it takes to prove her young son is innocent of a murder, regardless of whether or not he actually is. In the last third, Joon-Ho does so many back-flips and tricks with the narrative. But they wouldn’t mean anything were I not emotionally invested; and it’s in the odd connection we forge with these characters that “Mother” reveals its bizarre genius. Don’t let the fact that you have to read it scare you away from this one.

#7: EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (Banksy)
Follow me here: A documentary about a failed documentary that was going to be about the person who made the documentary’s involvement in street art. You follow me? If not, don’t be worried, because one of the many miracles of “Exit Through the Gift Shop” is how effortlessly it holds your hand and takes you down a rabbit-hole of twists and turns.
<

#6: INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan)
I fell out of love with this one for a bit. Looking back on it, I have no idea why. Because yes, the movie is mostly setting up rules (and the other part breaking those rules) and yes, it’s a bit emotionally hollow. One could nitpick about this one for hours, and believe me, I have. But to do that is to deny just what a kinetic, exciting film this is. In “Inception”, anything is possible, nothing is quite like what you’ve seen before, and everything is just…freaking awesome. Not the best of the year, but almost certainly the coolest.

#5: TRUE GRIT (Joel & Ethan Coen)
It was always going to be interesting, seeing some of the quirkiest directors around tackle a straight genre picture, the classic American Western. But with “True Grit”, the Coens are in full entertainment mode, firing on all cylinders to deliver a crowd-pleasing yet typically witty and straight-up awesome movie. It coaxed great work out of veterans like Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, and a star-making performance out of 13-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. My #2 pick aside, no movie has benefitted more from repeat viewings this year.

#4: BLUE VALENTINE (Derek Cienfrance)
Switching back-and-forth between the passionate origins of a marriage and the furious destruction several years later, “Blue Valentine” is absolutely devastating. But also, thanks to the brilliant work from leads Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams, it’s fantastic. It’s the cinematic equivalent of A cautionary tale for those who take passion for granted.

#3: TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)
How does one top two of the greatest animated films ever made? I have no idea, but Pixar accomplished precisely that with the sequel to those films, “Toy Story 3″. It’s just a magical feeling watching so many great elements click together in one movie; be it a thrilling prison break-out sequence, gorgeous animation, snappy banter between the unforgettable characters, or the final fifteen minutes, which absolutely wreck me every damned time. It’s the crowning jewel to cinema’s greatest trilogy (apologies to Rossellini and Frodo).

#2: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher)
A uniquely modern movie whose themes are as old as any fable: Friendship, betrayal and deception, just set against a back-drop of college, parties and hacking. It’s the story of Mark Zuckerberg’s creation of the phenomenon that is Facebook; told in a breathless, motormouth style that only gets more involving and exciting as it goes on. Hey, man. Five viewings in the theater does not lie.

#1: BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)
Accept no substitutes. Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” is the artistic pinnacle of the year. The story of one ballerina’s pursuit of perfection and subsequent descent into absolute madness, combined with Natalie Portman’s amazing realization of precisely that, is some of the most riveting, jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and haunting stuff I’ve ever seen.

In the land of movie-going, this summer has been all about extremes. Explosions! 3-D! Genetically-spliced creatures! People surgically connected to one another, anus-to-mouth! In addition to concepts, it has been all about extremes in the sense of quality. They were either soul-crushingly awful, overwhelmingly mediocre, or just simply fantastic with very little middle ground between the three. So let’s delve into my picks for the best and worst of the summer.

Tom Six’s sickening “The Human Centipede” was no doubt the worst of the summer, and probably one of the worst, most sickening, soulless films I’ve ever seen. I’ve already explained the concept (see above paragraph), and rest assured that no matter what crap you see this year, none are as bad as “The Human Centipede”.

M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender”, however, was inept in just about every category in which his earlier films succeeded. It sports the worst direction of the year, with scenes, characters, sets, and effects all thrown in together that never come close to a cohesive whole.

And finally, Ridley Scott’s “Robin Hood” wasn’t particularly awful, but because there was nothing whatsoever distinctive or interesting about it, one could argue it was even more agonizing than an awful film. It wouldn’t have hurt to have a cohesive story, either.

Now onto the “goodies”.

The fifth best film of the year was Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″. Although repeat viewings have somewhat diminished it’s initial emotional punch, it still stands as a really entertaining, hilarious, and yes, heart-breaking film about trying to hold on to one’s childhood.

“The Kids Are All Right” was a brilliant ensemble piece about a family attempting to hold itself together. Bolstered by great performances (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening stand out in particular) and a killer script, the film is heartfelt, emotional, and yet still feels realistic, which makes all the difference.

I tend to disagree with Oscar voters’ picks, which surprises me to say that their recent pick for Best Foreign Language Film, “The Secret in Their Eyes”, was dead-on. Basically a murder mystery yet at its core a resonant love story, this film sports strong performances and a 5-minute long tracking shot that ranks with the best.

It’s a toss-up for my second and first favorite films, but for now Edgar Wright’s energetic retro-action comedy “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” takes second. Although the financial disappointment of this movie pretty much crushed me, I have no doubt that on DVD it’ll find a following. This movie is a fantastic piece of entertainment, with literally hundreds of gags, a couple knock-out action sequences, and yet at its core is a great romance.

My favorite release of the summer was Christopher Nolan’s “Inception”. Brilliant on pretty much every level that a film can be judged on, after four viewings the magic of this movie still wows me. By the year’s end, this and “Pilgrim”s ranking may shift, but for now, “Inception” ranks supreme above all others this summer.

Hey everyone, it’s Ryan. So, the Oscars are approaching (March 7 on ABC), and I’ve opted to make predictions for all the major categories. So without further ado, here’s my picks. (PS: I intentionally misspelled “The Blind Side”.)

Best Picture:
Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
Could Win: Inglourious Basterds

Best Director:
Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Should Win: Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
Could Win: James Cameron, “Avatar”

Best Actor:
Will Win: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
Should Win: Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Could Win: Colin Firth, “A Single Man”

Best Actress:
Will Win: Meryl Streep, “Julie and Julia”
Should Win: Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
Could Win: Sandra Bullock, “The Bland Side”

Best Supporting Actor:
Will Win: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Should Win: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Could Win: Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”

Best Supporting Actress:
Will Win: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Should Win: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Could Win: Sorry, Mo’Nique is an absolute lock to win here.

Best Animated Film:
Will Win: Up
Should Win: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Could Win: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Before I go, allow me to lament: How was “Where the Wild Things Are” not nominated for anything?!?

-Ryan

To avoid a big, long, pretentious speech about what the year 2009 meant for film, here’s my favorites of the year.

First up, several honorable mentions. “Adventureland”, “Anvil! The Story of Anvil”, “Brothers”, “Bruno”, “500 Days of Summer”, “Food, Inc.”, “The Hangover”, “Julie and Julia“, “The Messenger”, “Moon”, “Paranormal Activity”, the directors cut of “Watchmen”, “Zombieland”, and especially “Star Trek”.

The best film of 2009 was “Inglourious Basterds”. Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger, and especially Christoph Waltz are all fantastic here. The cinematography is gorgeous, the dialogue is the year’s best, and the ending isn’t afraid to re-write history. This ranks as one of the great men-on-a-mission films, and simply as great entertainment.

The second-greatest film: “Up in the Air”. Funny, angry, romantic, tragic, relevant. This is an old-fashioned Hollywood film that also documents living in these tumultuous modern times. They truly don’t make them like this anymore.

At three: “Where the Wild Things Are” was probably the one of the most purely joyful children’s films ever made, and it’s literally a crime that it received no Academy Award nominations.

Four: “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Up” compose some of the great animated films of our time: Each unique in its own way, each impeccably written. Not just great children’s movies, or great entertainment, but truly fantastic films in their own right.

Five: “Precious” is an almost unbearably tragic film, but also incredibly uplifting. Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique each deserve Academy Awards for their portrayal as an abused, obese daughter and her vicious mother.

Six: Joel and Ethan Coen’s “A Serious Man” is their best film in a decade. It concerns a Jewish professor under-going a mid-life crisis. It poses a great deal of questions, offers few answers, and is wickedly funny. Unmissable.

At seven: You’ve seen “Avatar”. I’ve seen “Avatar”. I really needn’t explain its greatness to you.

Coming in at number eight, Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal are fantastic in “Crazy Heart”, a film about an alcoholic country singer inspired to clean himself up when he falls in love.

The moving coming-of-age story “An Education” is my ninth favorite film of the year: With stunning performances by Carey Mulligan, Peter Saarsgard and Alfred Molina, it’s probably the most well-acted film of 2009. Funny, poignant, but above all moving, the film masterfully displays the cultural turmoil in 1960’s-era Britain.

And the tenth best of the year: Two very different action movies. “District 9” is a science fiction film set in Johannesburg, where an alien ship has floated in the sky for 30-odd years whilst the aliens are put in refugee camps below. It’s likely to be remembered for years to come, amongst the likes of “Alien” and “Star Wars” for original, ground-breaking science-fiction. “The Hurt Locker” follows a team stationed in Iraq, whose sole purpose is to defuse bombs. Its scenes depicting the defusing of such bombs are almost unbearably tense. Emotionally involving, expertly directed by Kathryn Bigelow and very well-acted from relative newcomers like Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie.

Hey. Soon this site will be flooded with lists of mine, including my picks for best of ’09, worst of ’09, the worst of the decade, and ultimately the best. But first, I’ll put out the films I want to see most this year.

10: The Social Network. One of my favorite directors, David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac), directing a story about the young nerds that established a little website called “Facebook”.

9: Wall Street 2. Being a massive fan of both Oliver Stone and the original ‘Wall Street’, I can’t wait to see the return of Gordon Gekko and to see how the filmmakers integrate the current economic climate into the film.

8: Paul. Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (from Shaun of the Dead), it’s the story of slacker best friends that accidentally stumble upon an alien (voiced by Seth Rogen). Considering how funny these three people are, I can’t wait to see this.

7: Alice in Wonderland. Directed by Tim Burton, and starring Johnny Depp, this bizarre 3-D take on the Disney tale should be amazing.

6: Iron Man 2. I am a young 13-year old boy. Explaining why this is on the list would be somewhat redundant.

5: Jackass 3-D. I laughed so hard it hurt during the first two films. I cannot wait for this. For those that don’t know, the Jackass series is devoted to a couple slackers that perform outrageous stunts that often result in their pain.

4: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. The films have steadily been getting better and better and better. The adaptation of the final Harry Potter book should be amazing.

3: Inception. Christopher Nolan (director of Memento and the Dark Knight) directed this film, starring Marion Cotillard and Leonardo DiCaprio. Although no one really seems to know what this is about, I cannot wait for it.

2: Toy Story 3. The first two are amongst my favorite films. Pixar’s films are getting better and better and this could be their best one yet.

1: Shutter Island. Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese reteam for this atmospheric horror film, set entirely in an asylum. Buzz indicates this could be one of Scorsese’s masterpieces. Consider me pumped for this film, and film this year, in general.

It’s no secret I was less than pleased with this year’s nominees. Mild bitterness aside, allow me to give my predictions for the Academy Awards. (I was 7 for 8 in the big categories last year!)

Best Picture:

Oughta Win: Milk

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director:

Oughta Win: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Will Win: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor:

Oughta Win: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Will Win: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best Actress:

Oughta Win: Kate Winslet, The Reader

Will Win: Kate Winslet, The Reader

Best Supporting Actor:

Oughta Win: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Will Win: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress:

Oughta Win: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Will Win: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Original Screenplay: Milk

Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Animated Movie: Wall-E

Best Documentary: Man on Wire

Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz With Bashir